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Scientists say they may be one step closer to detecting the cause of the mysterious rise in colon cancer among young people.
Researchers have already suggested that it could be related to changes in the gut microbiota (or bacteria in the gut) that trigger mutations in cells.
But now a team in China says a more aggressive form of the disease may be linked to three bacteria in the gut (Fusobacterium, Clostridium and Shewanella) that may become more common due to a diet rich in processed foods.
Tests on stool samples from 94 colon cancer patients showed that among the 24 with the KRAS mutation (behind 40 percent of cases and causing the rapidly growing disease) these bacteria were most common.
The graph above shows colon cancer cases among people under 50 years of age by year. There is a drop in 2020 because the Covid pandemic caused fewer people to show up for screening.
The bacteria has been linked to diets high in processed foods (such as frozen meals, fast foods, and sausages) and low in fiber, as well as those containing more fat and red meat.
The researchers warned that fusobacteriums can cause inflammation in the intestine, while Colstridium, like C. difficile, can release toxins.
These increase the risk of damaging the cells’ DNA, which increases the chance of them becoming cancerous.
In the case of Shewanella, this bacteria proliferates on the surface of tumors, the team said, helping to promote their growth.
Colon cancer is on the rise among those under 50, and cases of the disease have risen 50 percent in two decades, to nearly 18,000 a year.
It has also become the number one cause of cancer death among men in the age group and the number two cause among women.
In comparison, in 1999 colon cancer was the fourth cause of cancer death among those under 50 years of age and caused 12,000 cases per year.
Scientists are baffled as to what caused the rise, but have blamed everything from overuse of antibiotics to obesity and even a specific type of fungus.
A $25 million global investigation has also been launched to try to locate the cause of the spike.
Revealing the study, Dr Weizhong Tang said: “Our new work contributes to the growing body of evidence highlighting the importance of microbiota-driven mechanisms in cancer pathogenesis.”
“It is vital to understand the specific associations between different types of KRAS mutations and colon cancer.”
In the article, published in Microbiology spectrumScientists also discovered that bifidobacteria (related to the consumption of garlic, leeks and onions) could help prevent the progression of colon cancer.
In the paper, the researchers also attempted to create a machine learning model that could use information to help guide personalized treatment recommendations.
But it didn’t work, and the team said a larger sample size was needed.
TO study from 2021 revealed that Fusobacteriums were more common in colon cancer patients who had a higher intake of processed foods and red meat and a lower intake of fiber.